


This is a Rescue

by TuppingLiberty



Series: Tupping Liberty's prompt ficlet series [14]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ben is Poe's abusive ex, College Student AU, M/M, Past Abuse, not darkpilot, stormpilot week 2017, wrong number trope
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-14
Updated: 2017-02-17
Packaged: 2018-09-24 05:44:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9705785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TuppingLiberty/pseuds/TuppingLiberty
Summary: Finn is perplexed, then alarmed by the man who called the wrong number and got his phone instead. Hopefully he can still be helpful, though.Written over Stormpilot Week, 2017 - will be updated daily





	1. Day 1 - modern au - the introduction

**Author's Note:**

  * For [PhilomathX](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhilomathX/gifts).



Finn was pretty sure his eyes had crossed. Fucking Hamilton. Did he have to be so verbose? Or should he be blaming the instructor that assigned _all_ the fucking Federalist Papers? Or maybe he should just blame himself for going to grad school in the first place. 

He was distracted from his thoughts by his cellphone buzzing on the coffee table, and he grunted, thinking it was his mom, wishing him a happy Valentine’s Day. He frowned at the local number that flashed on the screen. He didn’t recognize it, or at least it wasn’t saved in his contacts. 

As soon as he connected, he heard a male voice on the other side. “C’mon, c’mon, c’mon, pick up. Oh god, Jess, you’re going to kill me, and you’ll be right, but please, God, pick up-”

“Hello?”

“Uh.” The voice paused. “You’re not Jess.”

“No.” 

“Shit, I thought I got her new number right, fuck, fuck-”

“Hey, are you okay?”

There was a muffled little gasp on the other end of the line, like the guy had held back a sob. “I don’t know what to do.”

Finn clenched his fist, then released it, immediately triggered by the sound of desperation in the other man’s voice. “My name is Finn,” he said calmly. “What can I do to help?”

“You- I- Really?”

Finn’s heart broke a little at the disbelief. “Yeah. Are you in Riverton? I can call the police, or-”

“No police. Just. Um. Yeah, I’m in Riverton. On campus, at the library. And my ex, um. Ben. He’s been, just kind of waiting outside for me? And his friends have the other entrances covered, too? And I don’t know what to do, so I’m hiding in the stacks.”

Finn’s fist clenched again. “Hey, it’s going to be okay. I’m going to come get you, and take you wherever you’ll be safe. Um. I mean, if you want. I realize it may be hard to trust a stranger over the phone.”

There was that little gasp again. “You’re all I’ve got right now, buddy. Finn. I’m Poe. I’m, um, in-” There was a pause, where it was evident Poe was looking around for a landmark. “I’m in ancient history, I think.”

Finn laughed a little, under his breath. “Yeah, I know where that is. Hang tight, okay buddy?”


	2. In the Stacks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn comes to Poe's rescue - and his plan is two-fold.

Finn tugged his backpack strap tighter as he walked casually around the outside of the library, scoping out the situation. Not that he had any training with this, fuck, he was a _history_ student. The most physical danger he’d ever been in was as a band nerd. Still, he’d taken advantage of the college gym some, he thought. Enough, hopefully. Did kick boxing classes transfer to real life? Probably not the best time to be worrying about that.

The situation around the library was worrying. As the guy - Poe - had said, there were guys at every entrance. _Frat boys_ , Finn thought to himself with a curl of his lip. They mostly looked bored, though, and that gave Finn an inkling of a plan.

Slipping easily past a tall broody man at the front entrance, Finn sped up the stairs and headed straight for ancient history. He walked along the several stacks of books, until he spotted a figure huddled at the end of one. He cleared his throat, and the figure looked up from the book he had propped in his lap, and oh- Oh. _Oh._ “Poe?” he managed, trying not to get tongue tied around the chiseled looks of the stranger that, he was pretty sure, had stepped right out of one of the Rafael paintings he’d studied in Art History.

The guy broke into a smile. “Yeah. Finn? God, you’re huge. I mean. Muscular. I mean. That’s good, in case...” Poe trailed off, pink tinging his cheeks.

“Um. Thanks, I think.” Finn held a hand out, and pulled Poe up to his feet, discovering that they were the same height, or nearly. Poe was just a little soft around the edges, and- _No, Finn, this is_ not _appropriate. This guy obviously has some shit to deal with._ He twisted his bag around his body and opened it. “I brought some stuff. Um, a hoodie, and a baseball cap. And I could put your stuff in my bag, in case he recognizes the color of your backpack.”

Poe gaped back at him. “You are- it’s like you rescue damsels in distress on the regular.”

Finn shook his head. “You’re my first.”

“Well, and hopefully the last. I mean. I don’t normally act like a damsel in distress, either.” Poe looked away, and Finn didn’t like how sad his eyes got.

He placed a hand softly on Poe’s arm, and Poe looked back at him. “Everyone needs help sometime, right? Maybe you’ll be my knight in shining armor someday.”

Poe’s smile crept onto his face, crinkling his eyes at the side. “Yeah. Maybe I will.” He brushed his hand over Finn’s. “I think you might be the nicest stranger I’ve ever met.”

“Well, I’m pleased to make your acquaintance then.” Finn grinned back, and held out the hoodie and the hat for Poe, who took them. “We can try this now, but honestly, with how bored some of those frat guys looked, I think if we just killed time for a bit here, we could wait them out.” He held out his hand. “I know a great place to hide away for a bit.”

Poe hesitated, then placed his hand in Finn’s. “Yeah? What are we going to do to pass the time?”

Finn laughed. “Hey, have you ever read the Federalist Papers?”


	3. The Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stormpilot week day 3: Finn teaches Poe something
> 
> Warnings: confrontation with an abusive ex, and mentions of possible S&M and/or abuse, it could be interpreted either way in the writing.

“Wait, but the musical makes Hamilton out to be a radical freedom fighter,” Poe muttered. 

Finn shrugged. “He got lambasted for being a monarchist. He was a freedom fighter, too. People are complex.”

Poe chewed on his lip. “Yeah. Yeah, I guess they are.” His eyes cut away. “I never thought I’d, um. End up in... _ that type _ of relationship, you know? Never thought I’d be a victim.”

Finn’s heart ached. “You don’t have to tell me anything, Poe. Really. No explanation needed. Just know I’m going to get you out of here safe.” 

Poe’s eyes shined on his, and Finn felt like he might go to war against the entirety of the human race if it would keep the man safe. “Thanks.”

Uncomfortable with the direction of his thoughts, Finn looked down at his watch. Huh. They’d been talking for two hours. Didn’t seem like that long at all. “I bet those guys went home. Let’s check one of the doors.”

Poe nodded, a confident set to his shoulders as he pulled on the camouflage Finn had brought and stuffed his backpack inside Finn’s. They walked to one of the back entrances, and Finn poked his head out casually, then grinned, and nodded back at Poe. He held out his hand. “It might help sell it, just in case,” Finn murmured, and Poe assented, taking Finn’s palm in his. 

They walked hand in hand away from the library, Poe’s hood pulled up close, and it seemed to work. They didn’t encounter anyone, anyway. Poe’s hand was warm in his, and Poe would squeeze it slightly as it swung between them. 

“I  _ thought _ that was you.” The voice came out of nowhere, and beside him, Poe stiffened. Automatically, Finn placed himself between Poe and the tall, brooding man he’d seen at the library before.

“ _ Shit _ ,” Poe said under his breath, but he moved, standing by Finn’s side, even though Finn made a sound of protest. “Is that you, Ben? I can’t tell with that stupid fucking apparatus you’ve got on your face,” he said, motioning to Ben’s sunglasses. “He  _ thinks _ they make him look cool,” he told Finn, too loud not to be heard by the third man. 

Finn’s chest swelled with insane pride. “You tell him, baby.”

“ _ Baby?!” _ Ben looked between Finn and Poe, his lip curling in disgust. “Don’t you know he’s damaged goods? Oh yeah. Likes it when it  _ hurts _ . How fucked up is that.”

Poe was shaking at his side, and Finn took a step forward, but Poe beat him again, standing right in front of Ben, hand still clasped in Finn’s, staring the taller man in the eyes. “We will not be intimidated by you.” 

Ben snarled, and raised his hand up, and Finn was about to yank Poe out of the way when Poe kneed Ben, right in the balls, and the other man crumpled to the ground. 

“Fuck you,” Poe murmured. He turned on his heel, dragging Finn with him down the street. He pulled Finn around a corner, and then another, and then another, then leaned up against a building and took a few big, whooshing breaths. “Oh my god, oh my god, I can’t believe I did that.” 

Finn rubbed over Poe’s shoulders and helped him count out his breaths. “You really did do that. You were fucking amazing.”

“Yeah?” Poe cleared his throat. “Yeah. Yeah. But now I can’t stop shaking.” 

Finn wrapped an arm around his waist and eased him from the wall. “My place isn’t far. You can lay low for the night. Everything is easier to figure out in the morning.”

Poe nodded. “I mean, if you’re a murderer, at this point, that’d be pretty fucking typical, is all I can say.” He smirked, and started walking with Finn again.

They passed a packed restaurant, a very happy couple stumbling out, both of them staring at a ring on one of the girls’ fingers. “Oh, shit, it’s Valentine’s Day,” Poe muttered. “I totally forgot.” He glanced over at Finn. “Did I bust up a hot date?”

Finn snorted. “Yeah. Real hot date with me and the Founding Fathers.” 

“I think that makes them the Founding Daddies, then,” Poe joked, and grinned when Finn let out a peal of laughter.


	4. Couch time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 4 - favorite scene
> 
> I mean, it had to be this.

They’d only made it another few feet before Finn shivered, and Poe frowned, concerned. He shrugged out of the hoodie Finn had given him, pushing it on him despite Finn’s protests. “No, no, keep it, it suits you,” he joked with a wink and a lip bite.

Finn slipped it back on, relishing the residual body heat left from Poe. “Thanks,” he murmured.

Poe looked at him from the side of his eyes. “I mean. I’m the one that should be thanking you left, right and center. Giving your coat back is the least I could do. Besides, it really is your color.” 

Finn looked down at the turquoise and frowned. “Yeah? I’m. Ha, I’m colorblind, so I mostly just wear blue.”

“Well, then, it’s a happy coincidence that blue happens to look great on you. No joke.” 

“Poe-” Finn paused, and Poe stopped beside him, looking curious. “I just need you to remember that when it came down to it, you’re the one that kicked Ben’s ass, not me. You’ve got that power.”

Poe chewed his lip, and nodded. “Thanks,” he said quietly.

Finn nodded back. “Given what happened back there, I think you’re going to be okay.”

“We’ll see,” Poe whispered, and held out his hand for Finn to take again.

Finn led them quietly through the next few blocks of Valentine’s merriment. At his apartment, he punched in the code for the door and led Poe up a couple flights of stairs. He let himself into the apartment, Poe trailing behind, and did a quick assessment. “Um. I mean, I’ve got a roommate, so it’s not so horrible? But it’s also midterms, and I’ve got a mountain of reading and another mountain of Freshman essays to grade, so, um-”

“It’s the finest castle I’ve ever been in,” Poe said with a smile. “Can I?” he asked, indicating Finn’s bag, where his stuff resided.

“Oh, right, here,” Finn replied, handing him the bag.

“Thanks. I don’t really have a lot to offer you, but I  _ did _ just happen to get a care package from my mom, and- aha!” Poe pulled the bag of cookies from his backpack. “Two each, perfect. Oh, are you allergic to anything? Gluten-free, anything?”

Finn shook his head and cleared some papers from the couch. “Please, sit.”

Poe plopped himself down carelessly on the couch, there really wasn’t a better way to describe it. “Thanks again, buddy. I really- really can’t thank you enough. But hopefully Shara’s secret recipe will do something.” He passed over a cookie, and smiled, seeming almost too young for Finn to bear.

He accepted it, and sat down, as far from Poe as he could get on the couch. “You want to watch something? We’ve got Netflix.”

“I don’t want to put you out any further. I can just fall asleep right here, if you want to read.” 

“Um, no. I’m pretty sure  _ my _ mom would have an aneurysm if she found out I let you sleep on the couch. You can take my bed. I’ve slept on this couch. I know how to avoid the lumps.”

Poe chewed his lip, then shrugged. “Okay. I’m too tired to do more than agree. But, um. I don’t really want to be alone just yet, so. So, yeah, let’s watch something. Whatever you want. Something relaxing, though.”

Finn grabbed the remote, and gave Poe a considering look. “Promise you won’t judge?”

“Why would I judge you? What, do you watch nature documentaries or something?”

“Of a sort.” Finn flipped through his favorites and selected the show, cheeks reddening. “It, uh. It always helps me calm down. You don’t even really have to think about it, and everything always turns out happy in the end.” 

Poe looked at the screen, then back at Finn, one brow raised. “I’ll admit, I’ve never seen it, but that’s a pretty glowing endorsement. No judgement here.”

Finn hit play, and as the theme song started, Poe’s hand crept across the couch cushions. Glancing down, Finn hesitated for one second, then placed his over it.

  
_ My Little Pony, I always wondered what friendship could be... _


	5. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the epilogue!
> 
> Thanks for spending Stormpilot Week with me!

“And then, I walk in the fucking door, and I see these two,  _ asleep _ on each other.” Rey let the crowd laugh, then continued. “Now, I have to say, I’m still not actually sure if it was that they passed out watching Netflix after Shara’s magical cookies,” Rey paused to raise her glass, “Or if Finn finally met his match in the self-sacrificing noble idiot category.” The crowd tittered again. “I’m pretty sure it’s the latter, though. ‘Course, then I ruined it by accidentally dropping my bag, and they woke up and sprang apart and were awkward as all get-out with each other.” She smiled over at Finn and Poe, who were leaning into each other at the head table. “But I guess I didn’t ruin it too much,” she murmured, and lifted her glass again. “To Finn and Poe, who somehow manage to have a ‘we met on Valentine’s Day’ story that’s not disgustingly sweet.”

The reception crowd cheered and clapped for Rey as she sat down. Finn blew her a kiss, then stood, holding out his hand for Poe. Across the room, the DJ struck up the slow song they’d decided to hold their first dance to. 

Poe led, and Finn was happy to let him. They’d taken six weeks of dance lessons before Finn would agree to actually dance at the wedding. “You dance great,” Poe had told him. “I can twerk,” he’d replied drily. “Same principle,” their instructor had said, and all three of them had dissolved into giggles.

Now, though, now Poe led him around the floor confidently, and Finn didn’t even have to look down at his feet. Instead, he looked across at Poe’s warm brown eyes, drowning in the love there. He moved thumb across Poe’s hand until he could feel the band of gold there. Overwhelmed, he laid his head on Poe’s shoulder and let himself be rocked to the slow beat. Around them, other couples began to join. 

“Thanks for the rescue,” Poe murmured, kissing Finn’s hair. 

“My pleasure,” Finn replied, letting the sway lull him into a drowsy happiness.

**Author's Note:**

> Heyo! I'm @animalasaysrauer on tumblr. Hit me up!


End file.
